ada soil how to use?>

[apistoid]

Hi gentlemen!!
i am starting a new planted tank. and trying out ada aquasoil.
i hav no idea whether base fertiliser is needed. and does the ada powersand that is supposed to be placed at the bottom of the substrate required?
wat purpose does it serve?
does it act as the base fertiliser or juz a substrate to colonise bacteria?
if base fert is no required, does it mean that i hav to use liquid fertiliser instead?
please help me!!!
this is urgent!!

[PeterGwee]

If you plan to use ADA aquasoil, no other base fert is needed....Powersand is optional in this case also. Do caution when you use ADA aquasoil though...it lowers your pH to as low as 5 depending on which region of soil you use as well as eats away your GH and KH (which is the cause of the pH drop)....It affects your ability to use the pH/KH table to find your CO2 level as the peat effect has skew your KH and thus leading to incorrect readings. Although peat affects your ability to use the pH/KH table to find your CO2 levels, it does has its strong points namely its high CEC factor..

Regarding the use of liquid fert, it is still needed as most plants feed through the leaves.